


Brotherly Misconduct

by tnh1722



Series: Human AU Lightwood-Bane Family [9]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec and Jace are both emotional, Family Angst, Good Parent Maryse Lightwood, M/M, Protective Isabelle Lightwood, Supportive Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 18:57:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16624583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tnh1722/pseuds/tnh1722
Summary: Jace isn't acting like himself and it makes for a fight with Alec. The family doesn't know how to react since Alec and Jace never fight. Jace is dealing with some emotional stuff that he is keeping to himself while forcing Alec to bring up hidden insecurities. Things have to get worse before they get better.





	Brotherly Misconduct

Simon was furious when he found out Jace went behind his back at work. The two were in the conference talking over their case which resulted in a screaming match. “I don’t understand why you thought it was a good idea to involve the press. You know it’s never a good idea! Alec has always said-”

“This isn’t Alec’s case!” Jace cut him off. “This case is so high-profile, someone had to have seen something or heard something and making it public was the only way someone would step forward and tell us.”

Alec heard their fight from his office so he made his way down the hall towards the conference room. He saw Maryse and Lydia stopped outside the room deciding to go in or not so Alec waved them off and said he would handle it. He stepped in the room and was met with two angry, piercing glares. “Alright, what the hell is going on?” Alec asked in a calm voice even though his own frustration was rising. 

“This doesn’t concern you, Alec. Get out,” Jace answered harshly, surprising both Alec and Simon. Jace always turned to Alec for advice or at least included him in issues because he was not only a solid sounding board and the most knowledgeable lawyer in the office but also his big brother. This level of anger was out of character even for Jace who could be a hot head at times. 

Simon shook off the feeling first as Jace sat down and completely ignored his brother. Simon directed his words towards Alec. “We are disagreeing about the Penhallow case. Jace went to the media even though we decided not to like you taught us.” 

“You did what?! You know getting the press involved always creates a mess, no matter the client! You just made this ten times harder on yourself,” Alec replied towards Jace. 

“God, Alec, stop! Just shut the hell up, okay?! You aren’t apart of this case and we didn’t ask for your help. You are not my boss and you don’t get to tell me what to do! Just stop!” Jace responded as he stormed out of the conference room. 

Alec stood in shock as Simon tried to console him. He and Jace never fought like this, sure they bickered like brothers do, but Alec could not recall a time that this has ever happened. He walked out of the room and down the hall silently, going straight into his office. He heard Simon and Maryse talking, but he didn’t stop until he was alone.

After locking the door, Alec went straight to his desk and finished his paperwork as quickly as possible. He silenced his phone so no calls would come through and waited to see if someone would knock on his door, preferably Jace to come talk this through. After an hour, he hadn’t heard from anyone and he completed his case order for the day so he decided to go home, another completely out of character thing to happen putting the entire office on edge. No one said a word as Alec walked out of the office without even a wave goodbye to Jules. 

\---

No one had seen Alec besides Magnus since Thursday when the fight occurred. It was now Sunday afternoon, nearly time for the Lightwood family dinner and Maryse could feel her anxiety rising. 

Jace hadn’t said much at work, handling his part of the case without Simon’s opinions creating a rift between them as well. Alec had just completely shut everyone out, probably trying to piece together where he went wrong because her oldest son would undoubtedly put the blame on his own shoulders. 

“Hey Mama, can I ask you something?” Isabelle came walking into the kitchen with a concerned look on her face. Maryse could see Simon sitting in the living room with Clary talking with all of the typical Simon light missing from his eyes. Jace had gone straight to the den with Luke to look at Luke’s new recruit fitness regimen. 

“Of course, mija,” Maryse answered as she set her spatula down and offering her daughter a glass of wine. 

Izzy took the wine and sat on one of the stools at the counter. “What is going on at the office right now? I can tell Simon is upset about something, but he won’t say anything. He just said it’s a rough case.”

Maryse sighed and leaned against the counter. “Isabelle, it’s the boys’ thing to share, but I’ll just say that not everyone is getting along right now.” 

“Dios mio, that’s what Lydia said too. I can’t even get Alec to answer his phone to talk to him about it,” Izzy replied causing Maryse to flinch at the mention of her oldest son who was hurting the most from all this. 

“Well, mija, hopefully you can talk to your brothers tonight because they need it,” Maryse said and left it at that as she went back to making dinner. Izzy sat still for a few seconds unable to say anything else when she heard the front door open. She hopped up and was ready to make a beeline for her big brother but was surprised to only see Magnus. “Mags? Is Alec parking the car?” 

Magnus shot her a weak smile and went to put the dish he brought on the counter. “Actually, dear, Alexander isn’t feeling very well tonight. He stayed home.”

Izzy’s jaw tensed as she heard Maryse breath in sharply. “What? Alec doesn’t miss family dinner...ever. He didn’t even miss when he had mono, he still sat at the table with us,” Izzy responded fluctuating between upset and angry. 

“He has a headache and he has been exhausted all weekend. I told him to stay home, you know, doctor’s orders,” Magnus replied lightly trying to get her to let it go when the others walked into the kitchen. 

“Hey Magnus, where’s Alec? I want to show him the new workout regimen we have at the academy, I think he would enjoy it,” Luke said casually, unknowing of the situation. It was clear to Izzy then that something happened at the office that is being hidden from everyone’s partners, which she was not a fan of. 

“Alexander is at home, he’s been sick for a few days,” Magnus said while looking at Jace who flinched under Magnus’ pointed glare. 

Maryse clapped her hands and announced that dinner was almost ready causing everyone to move to the table. Dinner was the most awkward it had ever been, everyone either being on edge or confused. After they finished eating, Jace let everyone know he and Clary were leaving right after Magnus left to go home to Alec. Izzy was still angry, mostly directed at Maryse and Simon for not telling her what was going on. 

\---

As the next week went on, Alec spent three days at the courthouse and two working from home. It was the most he had ever been out of the office and it was starting to show. Calls and questions were going unanswered, poor decisions were being made without him to bounce them off of, and the office was overall tense from the ongoing disagreement between the two closest people there. 

With it being Sunday again, Maryse decided she would step in if Alec missed dinner for the second time. Much to her surprise though, her oldest son and his fiance were the first to show. Alec’s mood seemed to be up slightly and he offered to cook with his mother. “Mijo, you know you can talk to me, right, about anything?” she asked once Magnus had stepped out to choose the wine with Luke. 

“Mama, I’m sorry. I just have been trying to figure out what I did to him. Jace and I don’t fight, I don’t really know what to think right now,” Alec said back while keeping his focus on the carrots he was chopping. 

Maryse walked over and put her hand on his forearm to get him to stop chopping to look at her. “I know, Alec. Trust me, it’s hard to watch you two at odds. Isabelle, Max, and Jace have always had disagreements, but no one ever fights with you. You are my mediator, the one who brings reason to everything. That’s why you are such a great lawyer, mijo. No matter what anyone says, I will always be proud of you.” 

“Mama,” Alec choked out, not expecting this much emotion from a simple conversation in the kitchen. He feels tears on his waterline that prove to himself that he has shifted from the angry, confused stage to the emotional, upset stage of dealing with this fight. 

Maryse gasps as she sees his tears from her son who rarely cries and pulls him tight into a hug. “Oh, sweetheart,” she whispered as he rested his head on top of hers. Izzy and Simon walked into the kitchen but stopped when they heard Alec’s breath hitch slightly. Maryse waved them off making Simon turn around to leave as Isabelle walked closer. 

Izzy set her hand on his that was wrapped around Maryse’s back making him flinch slightly. Alec lifted his head leaving his sister surprised at seeing tears resting on his cheeks. “Hermano, what happened?” she asked as she leaned in to join their hug, immediately on edge seeing her big brother crying. 

Alec held both of them, needing their comfort. “It’s okay, Iz. I’m just having a hard time with something at work. It’ll be alright,” he answered before pulling her in tighter and kissing the top of her head and his mother’s. 

Izzy was about to ask him to explain it farther, but Magnus came in before she could speak. “What’s a man have to do to get in on this beautiful hug?” he asked with an almost sing-song tune causing the three Lightwoods to laugh. 

The entire mood in the kitchen changed when Jace and Clary walked in. Jace tensed at seeing Maryse and Izzy curled up with Alec. He knew this would happen and it was his fault. Clary went straight in without question and hugged them all as well making it apparent that Izzy wasn’t the only significant other still in the dark about the fight. 

“Hey Jace,” Alec said softly, trying to make an effort to reconcile. Jace nodded his head with little interest leaving Clary and Izzy surprised. “So you’re still upset?” Alec asked quietly. 

“What do you think, Alec? Now you’ve got the whole family on your side too, like always,” Jace cut back causing Alec to break of the of the circle of his family so it was only the two of them facing each other while the rest of the family watched from behind. 

Alec was shocked at hearing his brother still so angry. “What are you talking about? I haven’t told them anything, I haven’t talked to anyone. Actually, I’ve been pretty shitty to be around lately.” 

“Well, isn’t that refreshing? Everyone’s favorite Lightwood actually has a problem,” Jace said, the words coming out more self-deprecating in tone than anger towards Alec. His words left the rest of the family stunned, Magnus and Izzy’s anger both beginning to quickly rise. 

“First of all, I am not everyone’s favorite. We both know that is not true so don’t you dare put that on me. Secondly, I don’t know where this is all coming from. What’s gotten into you?” 

“Oh please, Alec. You are the poster boy for perfection. Anyone has a problem, what does Alec think? A big case, give it to Alec so it’s a guaranteed win. Alec will be senior partner in no time, he’s the perfect lawyer, the perfect son, the perfect brother,” Jace mocked leaving the room shocked yet again. 

Alec felt his emotions about to explode, partly from his anger bubbling back up, partly from the words coming from someone he trusted with his feelings. “Perfection? Really, Jace...that’s rich. You have been the golden boy since the day you moved into this family. You know why I’m a good lawyer? Because, back then, I hated everything else about myself so I put school first to make sure I didn’t have think about the things that I thought were wrong with me. I work my ass off because Robert hates me and I know that I will never make senior partner if I do one thing wrong because he will always be there to cut me down and point it out. And the reason I try to give you advice and make you better is so that we can get to senior partner together because you’re my brother and you are...well, I guess were my best friend and you make me better so I wanted to return the favor. So please forgive me for trying so hard to be what you call perfect because I sure as hell have never felt that way about myself and probably never will.” 

Everyone was speechless. Alec may be a great person to talk to, but he never let his feelings out like that. It was rare to even get Alec to talk about himself unless it was just Magnus or Izzy, it used to be Jace too but apparently that isn’t true anymore. The silence in the room continued until Alec was the one to break it again. 

“You know what, enjoy your dinner. I can’t be here right now.” Alec quickly walked out of the kitchen, ignoring the voices calling out for him to stay. He reached the front door of the house and slammed it behind him. 

Magnus quickly moved out of the kitchen behind his fiance. “I hope that is what you wanted out of all this. That’s the most he’s said all week. He blames himself for everything and if anyone should know that, it’s you,” Magnus said to Jace as he passed him in the dining room to leave. Magnus’ glare was so sharp it almost hurt. 

“Someone explain everything, right now,” Izzy demanded after a few more seconds of silence. She was clearly angry, but she and Clary were more confused than anything else. 

Jace was tense and looking anywhere but his sister. Simon stepped to Isabelle’s side and grabbed her hand to walk her to the table. As they sat, everyone else moved to the table as well, Jace sitting down last with his head hung down. “Okay, it started last week with the Penhallow case,” Simon started slowly. 

\---

Alec walked into the Lightwood & Herondale office the next day and went straight for Jace’s office. He ignored the hesitant looks he got from Maryse and Simon who were in the hallway with Lydia. Alec walked in without warning and shut and locked the door behind him.

“We are going to work this out by the end of the day. I don’t care how long we have to sit in here. I am sorry for what I said yesterday at dinner, I was out of line. All I know now is that I need my brother back,” Alec announced as he set down his briefcase and sat in one of Jace’s chairs. After his breakdown at family dinner last night, he went home and broke down some more with Magnus who talked him down and made him realize that he needed to fix it.

Jace looked up in surprise. He tried to be angry, but he just couldn’t do it. “I need to apologize too.”

“Yes, you do,” Alec replied with a smirk, immediately lightening the mood even farther. 

“I’m sorry, Al, really. I was stupid and I let what Imogen said get to me. I shouldn’t have listened to her,” Jace said with his head down. 

“J, what are you talking about? What did Imogen say?” 

Jace sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “That day I yelled at you, she had called me into her office before my meeting with Simon. You did the interview the day before for the Malachai case and it was all over the news. Probably the biggest case of your career so far, which I’m proud of you for by the way.”

“Thank you, but what has that got to do with all of this?” Alec asked as he grew more confused. 

“Imogen, my lovely grandmother so she says, told me that I need to step my game up and take on cases like that without asking for your help. She said that I would never take her place in the Herondale line of the business if I keep riding your coattails. She said that I am not a good lawyer and I never will be if I take on cases by myself and start winning outright. There also may have been some comments about family, but I will never repeat that.” 

“Whoa, that is ridiculous. You are a great lawyer, we all bounce ideas off of each other here. It’s not just you,” Alec replied out of shock and anger. 

Jace offered him a sad smile. “No one is as good as you, Alec, but that’s not the point. I shouldn’t have listened to her and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” 

“Jace, you are a good lawyer, with or without anyone’s help. You also know that you can always rely on your family, your real family who loves you no matter how many court cases you win. Imogen wasn’t there when you lost your parents and she hasn’t been there for you now. She wants a trophy grandchild to brag about. I want a brother who knows that I love him no matter what stupid thing he says or does because of his pretentious grandmother. And that your real family goes far beyond me and we all will always love. She has no right to talk you down and you should not believe her.”

“Thank you, Alec. I love you too.” Jace said back softly as he got up to hug his brother. “And I really am sorry about what I said. I know the way you feel about certain things, especially yourself. I didn’t mean what I said, I was just upset.” 

“I forgive you, and I was upset too. I said some things that were just because I was on the defensive. I know how hard things have been for you, especially with Imogen. I should have known,” Alec replied with a sad smile. 

Jace waved him off. “Just like I should have known how you feel, especially about Robert. We both messed up and we both apologized. Now we’re good?” 

“We’re good,” Alec said with a smile. He paused for a few seconds as Jace went back to his desk. “Alright, come on. Let’s go.” 

“What? It’s 11 o’clock, go where?” Jace asked.

Alec pulled two Yankees tickets out of his interior pocket and showed them to Jace. “First pitch is at one. We need to leave now if we are going to be able to change clothes and grab lunch first.”

“You bought us Yankees tickets?” 

“Yeah, it was going to happen no matter what we decided. It was either celebration for making up or a bribe to get you to talk to me again,” Alec answered matter-of-factly.

“God, you’re the best brother a guy could ever get stuck with,” Jace laughed as he got up and grabbed his stuff. 

Alec laughed and grabbed his briefcase. “You too so let’s not fight like that ever again. It sucked.” 

“Yeah, it did,” Jace replied honestly while they walked out of his office. Alec commented about how it was Jace’s fault jokingly so Jace reached out and poked Alec’s side. Alec reached out and flicked Jace’s head as they walked out laughing together. 

Maryse, Simon, and Lydia heard them leaving so they came back out into the hallway. “So, is everything okay again?” Simon asked softly so the guys wouldn’t hear him. 

“Yes,” Maryse replied with a smile as she watched her sons walk down the hall, “Everything is just fine.”


End file.
